One of the most important indicators of the health of the human body is the heart rate. This is the number of heart contractions in a minute. The heart rate may vary depending on the physical activity, characteristics and emotional reactions of a person. Age also plays a key role: a children's indicator, for example, is fundamentally different from what the heart rate is in adolescents and the elderly.
Although a normal heart rate does not guarantee that a person has no health problems, it acts as a guide for identifying a number of potential disorders. For example, below normal, the pulse in a teenager in most cases indicates an uneven growth of the body and heart muscle or individual valves of the heart and myocardium.
Data
- After reaching 10 years of age, the person’s pulse should be in the range of 60 to 100 beats per minute in a relaxed state.
- An irregular heartbeat can be a sign of a serious health disorder.
- One in four deaths in the United States results from heart disease.
- Heart rate tracking can be a great way to prevent heart complications.
Pulse
The heart muscle is located in the center of the chest. It pumps blood containing oxygen and nutrients through the body and returns the waste back. A healthy heart provides the body with the right amount of blood, depending on the needs of the body at a given time. For example, with a fright or suddenness effect, the heart automatically releases adrenaline, a hormone that speeds up the heart's rhythm. This adapts the body to use more oxygen and energy, which will be needed in the face of potential danger.
The pulse is often confused with the heart rate, although it actually shows how many times per minute the arteries expand and contract. However, the pulse rate is equal to the heartbeat. Pulse is a direct measure of heart rate.
Norma in a relaxed state
It is important to determine in time whether the heart rate is in the standard range. If the heart is weakened by an illness or injury, the organs will not receive enough blood for proper functioning.
The United States National Institutes of Health has published a list that takes into account normal heartbeats based on a person’s age.
| Age | Normal heart rate |
| Up to 1 month | 70-190 |
| 1-11 months | 80-160 |
| 1-2 years | 80-130 |
| 3-4 years | 80-120 |
| 5-6 years old | 75-115 |
| 7-9 years old | 70-110 |
| Over 10 years old | 60-100 |
The pulse slows with age. So the pulse in a teenager may not differ from the pulse of an adult if there is a slight difference in years.
In highly skilled athletes, it can be below 60 beats / min, sometimes reaching 40.
Norm during exercise
The frequency of contractions of the heart muscle increases during exercise. It is important not to overstrain the heart, but, at the same time, provide more oxygen and energy for the body. A general decrease in heart rate is possible over time if you exercise regularly. This means that the heart has to work less to get the necessary nutrients, which makes it more effective. Exercises for the cardiovascular system are aimed at reducing the pulse rate. The maximum pulse mark demonstrates the full ability of the heart. This usually happens with high-intensity exercises or, for example, in competitions.
The American Heart Association states that the maximum heart rate during a workout should be 220 beats per minute.
Recommendations
Below are recommended loads to strengthen the heart.
| The exercise | Example | Duration | Regularity | Duration per week |
| Moderate aerobic activity | Walking, aerobics | 30 minutes | 5 days a week | More than 150 minutes |
| Energetic aerobic activity | Run | 25 minutes | 3 days a week | More than 75 minutes |
| Medium to High Intensity Muscle Strengthening | Rocking, Gravity | | 2 days a week | |
| Moderate and vigorous aerobic activity | Ball games, bike rides | 40 minutes | 3-4 days a week | |
Abnormal heart rhythms and disorders
The heart rhythm must be steady, and there must be a regular gap between beats.
It is normal that the pulse changes during the day in response to external stimuli: physical exercise, anxiety, emotional reactions. A person usually should not pay attention to changes in heart rate. In case of anxiety, it is better to consult a doctor.
Sometimes a “missed” blow occurs, or it may seem that there was an additional (ectopic) one. Such phenomena are very common, usually harmless and do not need treatment. The most common anomaly is atrial fibrillation, as well as tachycardia - an increased pulse. Reduced - bradycardia.
Supporting a normal heart rate in adolescence
While exercise is important to maintaining a low and healthy heart rate, there are several other things a teenager can do.
- Stress reduction. To do this, you can try deep breathing, meditation, yoga, mindfulness training.
- Avoidance of tobacco and alcohol.
- Weight loss. The more the body weighs, the more the heart should work.
- Be cautious with birth control pills. They can raise blood pressure and blood cholesterol.
How much pulse is normal in a teenager
The teenage body is undergoing tremendous changes. Because of this, it is sometimes difficult to adequately assess the cardiovascular health of adolescents, the rate of pressure and heart rate. Conventionally, adolescents are people between the ages of thirteen and nineteen. The pulse rate by age in adolescents is not very different and ranges from 50 to 90 beats per minute.
Due to differences in organs and physiology, the range for an acceptable heart rate at rest in adolescents is much larger than for other age groups. People who are constantly anxious tend to have a higher heart rate than others. Drinking nicotine or caffeine also increases your heart rate.
The maximum heart rate in a teenager is normally from 200 to 205. And this figure decreases by about 10 beats per minute every ten years. But, for example, smoking negatively affects the peak of cardiac activity and accelerates the process of slowing the pulse. To calculate the personal maximum heart rate in beats per minute, it is enough to subtract your current age from 220. If suddenly the value does not correspond to the pulse rate per minute in a teenager, then you should reconsider your lifestyle and state of your health.
The cardiovascular system
Typically, adolescents complain of chest pain and dizziness, but often these are not symptoms of serious illness, but a natural reaction to stress. The reason may also be:
- Excess caffeine.
- Asthma.
- Muscle overload.
- Inflammation of the chest wall.
The pulse and pressure of a teenager, and any other person, are interrelated with cholesterol. As for high blood pressure and high cholesterol in the blood, it was previously thought - this is accompanied by kidney disease. Modern doctors argue that in fact other complications can occur: cerebral stroke, heart attack, blindness. Studies of the genetic predisposition of adolescents to these diseases have shown that about half of young people with a diagnosis of hypertension and two thirds of them with high cholesterol have a hereditary predisposition to the disorder. The remaining cases are associated with malnutrition and lack of physical activity. To do this, it is better to eat foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
Another common problem with the heart and heart rate in a teenager is mitral valve prolapse.
Four valves regulate blood circulation through the four chambers of the heart. The mitral valve is located in its left part, which receives fresh blood from the lungs, saturated with oxygen, and pumps it into the bloodstream. Under normal circumstances, the valve opens so that blood flows from the upper left chamber (left atrium) into the lower left chamber (left ventricle). About one in eight healthy adolescents has been shown to have mitral valve prolapse. This may cause a clicking sound heard through a stethoscope. Sometimes blood can leak in the opposite direction, causing noise. Symptoms of this disorder:
- Abnormal heart murmurs.
- Chest flutter, as if after exertion.
- Confused breathing.
- Headache.
- Sharp, fleeting chest pain.
Nineteen out of twenty people with mitral valve prolapse do not feel any symptoms. And the vast majority of people with this pathology can continue their activities without problems, without worrying about complications and without restricting sports activities. In certain circumstances, however, an unpressurized mitral valve may be infected. To reduce the risk of endocarditis, it is better to take antibiotics as recommended by your doctor.
Health
Teenagers should exercise regularly to maintain their heart health and to form healthy habits in advance. Regular check-ups by health care professionals will help you catch problems before they become more serious.
Target heart rate is the range of heart rate that makes cardiovascular exercise or fat loss most productive. For fat loss, a 16-year-old needs to train at 50-70 percent of his maximum heart rate.
One of the best ways to guarantee class progress is to track your heart rate during your workout. This can be done manually with two fingers and a clock, but the heart rate monitor allows you to more accurately monitor the pulse rate of a teenager in the gym.